The Seattle Sounders are the defending Major League Soccer champions, however they got off to a bad start in game-week no. 1 to start the 2017 season. The Sounders visited the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, a game that was part of a full schedule of games this weekend. Houston are considered longshots in the MLS antepost market, with Stan James making them 50 to 1 to win the title this season. That's a far cry from where Seattle sit as the fourth favorites at 7 to 1. Nonetheless, it was the Dynamo that defeated the Sounders 2-1 to open the season.
Houston improved from last season?
Alicia Rodriguez, writing for MLSsoccer.com, called Houston a "new-look squad" on March 4th after their win and she seemed impressed by what she called a "full team effort." With wins at a premium last season, the simple fact that Houston beat a quality team is enough reason to call them "new-look." They failed to make the knockout stage last year, getting just 34 points in the standings and finishing dead last in the Western Conference. If North American soccer had a relegation system, then Houston would be in the minors right now.
Houston beating Seattle was the biggest upset in game-week one. Other results from Saturday saw San Jose defeat Montreal 1-0, Colorado defeat New England 1-0, and FC Dallas defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1.
The Galaxy losing was an upset as they are currently the outright favorites to win the title this season (Stan James). The other three games played on March 4th were draws as follows:
- Columbus and Chicago: 1-1
- Real Salt Lake and Toronto: 0-0
- D.C. United and Sporting KC: 0-0
Other results from MLS
Sunday also featured a tie game as Vancouver and Philadelphia played to nil.
Meanwhile Orlando and the NY Red Bulls scored victories over NYC FC and Atlanta United respectively. The only other result from game-week one came on Friday when Portland trounced Minnesota United by a score of 5-1. Game-week two will start on Saturday and continue on Sunday next weekend, with no games to be played on Friday.
